Hartford City Council Actions

* The Hartford city council met Tuesday. There were 38 items on the regular agenda and two more were added on the supplemental agenda. councilman Louis Watkins was absent.

Compiled by the Citizens' Research Education Network, the following is a summary of some of the issues and action taken by the council:

* Blue Hills Hospital: The council passed a resolution, sponsored by all nine members and the mayor, which protested the closing of Blue Hills Hospital. The state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services has proposed the closing of the hospital, which provides drug treatment and other services. In comments made before the vote, Deputy Mayor Frances Sanchez observed that the hospital was almost always full, and that instead of decreasing the availability of services, the state should be increasing them. There were at least 50 advocates for the hospital at the meeting.

* Park Rezoning: The council sent to public hearing Nov. 17, to the director of public works, and to the planning, development and zoning committee, an ordinance that would alter the zoning classification of a portion of Pope Park. Under the ordinance, the land east of the Pope Highway No. 4 and west of the South Branch of the Park River would be changed from park to industrial use.

* Community Court in Hartford: The council voted to create the Hartford Community Court. The court will deal with quality-of-life issues that -- because they are misdemeanors -- are often not heard in the criminal court system. The resolution points out that not punishing minor offenses often fosters the belief that there is no justice, and leads to an increase in crime. The court will be funded by $700,000 from the Comprehensive Community Partnership fund, $350,000 from the Local Law Enforcement fund, and $150,000 from the general fund for the first six months of the program.

* City Government Reform: The council voted to authorize the city manager to continue the process of city government reform begun this past summer. The Public Strategies Group was contracted by the city to evaluate and suggest changes to city government. The resolution authorized the city manager to allocate money, issue requests for proposals, and enter into contracts to follow through on strategy group recommendations. Among the recommendations to be funded through the Comprehensive Community Partnership and the general fund are development of a performance measurement and management system, provision of technical assistance to the Leadership Team, and training for staff. Requests for proposals will be issued for reform of the purchasing and personnel systems, and to create a one-stop permitting system.

* Urban Act Bond Funds: The council voted to send to public hearing on Oct. 24 an ordinance regarding the $7 million in Urban Act Bond funds from the state. The money, which is earmarked for the Hartford Stabilization and Revitalization Initiative, will be used for demolition of vacant deteriorated buildings, mothballing vacant structures that are safety hazards, and improvement to neighborhood streetscapes. The original motion would have sent the ordinance to public hearing on Nov. 17, but the council voted to move the public hearing up so the money could be used more quickly.

* Collective Bargaining Agreement with City Professional EmployeesAssociation: The council voted to accept a collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Employees Association which represents about 140 workers. Among other things, the new contract limits the number of sick days that may be accumulated to 150 (previously unlimited), raises the pension contribution from bargaining unit members, and provides a 1 percent general wage increase in each of the three contract years. Council members John B. O'Connell, Sanchez and John B. Stewart Jr. all lauded the agreement and expressed hopes that the other city unions accept similar contracts.

* CDBG Funds to be Moved to Housing Preservation Loan Fund: The council approved on consent the city manager's recommendation to transfer $300,000 of CDBG funds from the urban homesteading account to the Housing Preservation Loan Fund. The demand for loans from the Housing Preservation Loan Fund has depleted the available money. The need for funds in the Urban Homesteading account has been reduced by the leveraging of private funds from lending institutions.

* Parks Trust Funds for Sigourney Park: The council voted to appropriate $52,000 from the Hartford Parks Trust Fund for improvements to Sigourney Square Park. The original appropriation, $300,000 from a state Open Space grant, was less than the bids. The money will be used for park benches, basketball courts, a spray pool, and new walks and fences.